1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mailbox inserts and, more specifically, to a slideable tray mountable within a roadside mailbox which partially extends as the mailbox door is opened and retracts when the door is closed.
2. Background Art
Numerous mailbox designs and configurations have been attempted in the past to provide easier access to the mail piece. A traditional basic mailbox comprises a substantially rectangular box having two side panels, a top panel, a bottom panel, a rear panel and pivotably openable and closeable front door. The top panel is traditionally formed of a convex or arched panel to discourage rain water, dirt, or snow collection while the front door and rear panel are shaped to conform to the curvature of the top panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,651 discloses a tray and track assembly for a typical rural mailbox having a track frame attached to the mailbox bottom with longitudinal rails for receiving and guiding a pair of track members on the bottom of a tray. Two extension arms are pivotally attached to the sidewalls of the tray, and attached to the inside of the hinged mailbox front door. When the front door is opened the extension arms pull the tray forward on the track frame until stop members on the track frame and tray halt the forward movement of the tray. A part of the tray is then beyond the interior of the mailbox. The extension arms push the tray back into the mailbox when the front door is closed. Ridges elevate the mail piece above condensation that forms on the tray bottom, and drain holes in the tray allow such liquids to drain. The tray comprises sidewalls and rear panel are substantial in construction and span a significant portion of the interior cavity height of the mailbox. Furthermore, the sidewalls present obstruction to visual identification of the mail piece and physical obstruction to removal of the mail piece. A user is required to align his/her hand in the direction of the tray opening in order to remove a mail piece disposed in the tray. A substantial portion of the interior volume of the mailbox is consumed by having a separate walled tray, thereby reducing the usable interior space of the mailbox.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,380 discloses a sliding, guided tray that is mountable within a standard, rural mailbox. The tray extends from the mailbox when the mailbox door is opened, and retracts back within the mailbox when the mailbox door is closed. The guided mailbox tray assembly includes a tray. Preferably, the tray is cut out and bent into the form of a rectangular box from a single sheet of galvanized metal. The tray has a side panel and a runner slot cut within the side panel. A runner with a slot fastener end, and a bracket fastener end that is slidingly mountable into the runner slot. A bracket is mountable to the openable door of the mailbox. The bracket includes a runner fastener that is hingeably attachable to the bracket fastener of the runner. The tray has a pair of side panels, each with a runner slot, a pair of runners, each with a slot fasteners and bracket fasteners, for slidingly connecting the runners to the tray, and pivotably connecting the bracket to the runners. The tray of this mailbox also comprises side panels and rear panel that are substantial in construction and span a significant portion of the interior cavity height of the mailbox. Though tapered towards the tray opening, the side panels present obstruction to visual identification of a mail piece disposed within the tray and physical obstruction to removal of the mail piece. These tasks are further complicated by intrusive bracket arms and runners disposed substantially close to the tray opening. A user is required to align his/her hand in the direction of the tray opening in order to remove a mail piece disposed in the tray. The walled tray is also space consuming and unnecessarily limiting the free space available within the mailbox.
A mail piece is typically delivered to or deposited in a mailbox by simply tossing the mail piece inside the mailbox with its broadside landing on top of the bottom panel. Since the mail piece lays flat on the bottom panel, this presents a challenge for gripping and retrieving the mail piece. U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,651 contemplates using ridges to elevate a mail piece to avoid being damaged by moisture condensation that forms on the tray surface. These ridges however are not sufficiently raised to provide a sufficient gap between the bottom of the mail piece and the bottom panel such that a hand or fingers can be inserted to facilitate mail gripping and removal. The concept of disposing ridges on the bottom panel therefore does not teach a means to facilitate gripping of mail disposed on the bottom panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 908,543 discloses a mailbox whose receptacle is moved nearly entirely outside and tilted outside of the mailbox. The receptacle comprises a box, a tray slideable within the box, a door for closing the box and having connection with the tray to slide the same either within or without the enclosure to facilitate placing of the mail piece in the tray or removal of matter therefrom, means for securing the cover when closed, and a signal, the latter being actuated by the cover to insure its displacement each time the cover is opened, so that the signal may be set only when the box contains matter either to be collected or deposited for the resident. Though the tray is tilted when the door is opened, the problem of gripping and retrieving a mail piece, especially a single thin mail piece, remains unsolved. The receptacle again comprises sidewalls, a rear panel and a front panel which are substantial in construction and span a significant portion of the interior cavity height of the mailbox. Furthermore, the receptacle design that enables nearly the entire receptacle to tilt outside of the mailbox cavity also requires that that receptacle be mounted at a location substantially elevated with respect to the mailbox cavity, thereby robbing the mailbox of valuable space and making the mailbox unsuitable for receiving larger articles.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,760,721 discloses a mailbox having a letter rack comprising a relatively narrow troughshaped or U-shaped letter receptacle which makes it easier to insert letters into and to pick these letters out of the receptacle. The forward end of the letter receptacle is pivotally secured to the door near one edge of the door. The rear end portion of the letter receptacle is swingingly supported by a link. The receptacle is narrow and it is designed to hold mail pieces erected on their lengthwise side. Contrary to the present invention, in order to use the prior art mailbox receptacle, one must bunch up a plurality of mail pieces and insert them neatly into the receptacle. This extra step is time consuming and would discourage the use of such a receptacle altogether in circumstances where speed is of the essence.